AN application for listed building consent for dividing a Grade-II listed building into separate dwellings has been submitted to Darlington Borough Council.

The plans relate to the redevelopment of St Clare’s Abbey in Darlington into private residential accommodation.

The site for what would become St Clare’s Abbey was acquired in 1851 by the female religious order known as The Poor Clares from the neighbouring religious order The Carmelites.

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The proposal aims to sensitively divide the existing range of buildings into a number of dwellings of differing sizes and make changes to the vehicular entrance from Carmel Road.

The graveyard will remain unaltered in perpetuity. Trees will be protected during the works and maintained to retain the character of the setting.

The boundary wall will be retained with small alterations proposed to the north gate to Carmel Road North to provide a suitable vehicular entrance meaning that the narrow gatehouse entrance can be restricted to pedestrian only use.

The plans are for ten homes – ranging from one to 11 bedrooms – with a total of 35 parking spaces between them.